Paul Owen Sorenson

The heavens sighed in sweet relief as our tender Husband, Father and Brother Paul Owen Sorenson was released from this world and welcomed home. Paul passed away April 6th, 2023 of kidney and liver failure, surrounded by His love Charlee and his daughter ReNae and son-in-law Mason. Paul was born on May 31st, 1946 in Murray, Utah to Lynn Elmer Sorenson and Elizabeth Geneva Owen. He was the 4th of 5 children and the 2nd boy. He was raised in a faithful LDS home, part of the most amazingly kind and loving family. The family moved around to nearly every corner of the country because of his dads work with the military residing in Utah, Florida, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, and California. His home was one filled with the magic and magnificence of symphonic music which shaped his tastes at an early age. Some of his favorite memories were of his mother introducing him to Bach and other masters of classical music. He loved playing a game with her in which she would put on a record and have him guess the piece of music and artist. In elementary school, his passion of music ignited into desire to play in concert and marching bands in junior high and high school, where he alternately played coronet, trombone and tuba, playing whichever the band needed at the time. He graduated high school in Santa Clara, CA after which he attended De Anza College in Cupertino, CA. Paul served a faithful mission in the Washington D.C. area and throughout his life served in many capacities in the church. Paul then continued his education as a music major at Brigham Young University in Provo, UT. He met and fell in love with Charlet Lee Sorenson (nicknamed Charlee), who he quickly realized was his soul mate; soon after, they were married civilly, then were sealed in the Provo, UT temple in 1979. Four years later their daughter ReNae Beth Sorenson completed their family. ReNae was a daddy's girl from the very beginning and became his little shadow. During his time at Brigham Young University, Paul ventured into his wife’s world taking folk dancing, ballet and even ballroom dance . He even was able to dance with his daughter at her ballroom competitions when she was a child. As time went on Paul and Charlee were able to travel the world leading Charlee's dance company and students from BYU, touring in and around the Hawaii, Eastern Caribbean, Mexico and many different countries in Europe. They had many incredible adventures and travels together. Paul worked in many jobs and capacities throughout his life. He spent 20 years at Harmon Kardon as an engineer and later worked at ATL Technology and lastly at BioFire working on the medical machines that tested for Covid and other viruses. Paul’s work ethic in every part of his life was at the highest level and was respected and admired by those who knew him. He also was known for his silly sense of humor and "dad jokes" which had all both rolling our eyes and belly-laughing and his puns were next level. He was also such an incredibly tender-hearted father and husband, beyond what any of us could dream of. He taught and loved with kindness and compassion and led by example. He attended every school function, dance recital, and competition and even helped his Charlee run her dance studio music at her shows, and built studio floors from scratch. Paul had many passions aside from music which included mountain biking, bike road racing and wood working. He did many Century rides which were 100-mile races, and biked Slick Rock in Moab, UT and Provo Canyon from Provo to Park City. For a period of time, he rode his bike daily from his home in Orem to his work over the “point of the mountain” into South Salt Lake. He also rode from Lehi to SLC. The last decade he returned to his passion, music. He bought a bass trombone and tuba and reminded his lips how to play. Paul eventually played in more than 14 different musical groups, including Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra, West Valley Symphony, Utah Premier Brass and Phoenix Jazz Band, to name just a few. He even went on to play at Temple Square and just a couple months before he passed played on television in a Christmas spectacular. Someone gave Paul a lathe, then he found discarded wood at lumber yards. He quickly discovered and developed an amazing talent for wood turning, creating many amazing bowls, vases and even custom pens and pencils. Paul will be most remembered as a brilliant man, and devoted husband and father. He and Charlee were married for 45 years at the time of his passing and had been blessed with a beautiful life together as best friends and partners. His sisters loved his quick wit and quiet strength and enjoyed growing even closer together as the years passed. He was the most peaceful, gentle, sacrificing and sweet spirited man we've ever known, and painted the world and those in it with an iridescence of peace and kindly glow. We have been immensely blessed and honored to have known him and he will be deeply missed. He truly left this earth a better place. We hope to continue his legacy of peacemaking and service. He is survived by his wife Charlee, daughter ReNae and son-in-law Mason, as well as his 3 sisters Arlene (Thomas), Carma (Victor) and Anne (Acell) and 24 nieces and nephews. We wish to give a special recognition and our deepest gratitude to the University of Utah for their incredible staff and care, and Lehi at Serenity Mortuary. Jean Spencer and Shauna for their loving care of our fur baby in our time of need. To Scott for going above and beyond in helping in my Paul's absence and Davis Dance Academy for being our dance family. Paul’s funeral will be held April 21st at 12:00 PM at the Lehi 15th Ward, 1920 N 500 W, Lehi, Utah. Visitation will be held the hour before at 11:00 AM for those who wish to visit with the family and friends prior to the funeral. The Burial will be held shortly thereafter at Payson, Utah cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations for funeral expenses can be made to Gofund.me under his name, Paul Sorenson.

Paul Owen Sorenson

May 31, 1946 - April 6, 2023